Ok pond people......

[lbannie]

Well. This summer I dug a small pond. About 2 1/2 feet deep 3 feet or more wide. I know it will freeze over the winter. I have 10 comet goldfish ( the 12 cent kind) they vary from 2-5 inches. I set up a 20 gallon high tank in the house and transferred everyone over. Even the snails! The water is very cloudy with a filter going and w/c.
NOW.... I have a 55 gallon tank. I cannot bring it inside.
If I set it up in my shed, would it be ok with just a filter or power head running?? Would this be the better option? Im in NY. Would they need light out there or would the light from garage door window be enough?
Sorry for the long winded thread! Please help

 

[lbannie]

Here's a pic of my pond in the spring. Don't mind the mess!

 

[Tetra1990]

Well, I'm no pond expert. But IMHO, the 55 gallon would be a better choice for the fish. They will slow down during the colder months. Maybe a spring project could be digging the Pindar bigger/deeper. If I was closer to new York, I'd help you out. Btw, im in Nebraska.

 

[bettaowner]

Nice pond but yes a 55 would be better. One thing you can do rather than dig is use a heater like some people in england do.

 

[lbannie]

Do you think the 55 would freeze with a filter running in it?

 

[Tetra1990]

Do you think the 55 would freeze with a filter running in it?

Depends how cold the shed gets. Adding a small heater will help or keeping the water surface agitated so it doesn't freeze will help.

 

[Alspond]

Do you think the 55 would freeze with a filter running in it?

Depends on where you live in new York.
In NYC probably not
In Watertown yes.
If you have a week where the high is 20 degrees my guest is it will freeze.

An aquarium heater should keep,it warm enough unless you loose power in a storm.

 

[jlk]

JMO, but I would get a de-icer & some type of aeration (to keep the surface agitated) for the pond and stick them back in it. Its going to be VERY difficult to keep their water healthy with that many messy fish in a 55g. Over the long haul, this will be a less expensive option than trying to maintain the 55g through the winter months. The 55 will likely be subject to the same temps in the shed (unless its heated) as the pond but the pond has a greater volume of water.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

JLK is right...experience talking here!!

JMO, but I would get a de-icer & some type of aeration (to keep the surface agitated) for the pond and stick them back in it. Its going to be VERY difficult to keep their water healthy with that many messy fish in a 55g. Over the long haul, this will be a less expensive option than trying to maintain the 55g through the winter months. The 55 will likely be subject to the same temps in the shed (unless its heated) as the pond but the pond has a greater volume of water.

And my experience the tank DID freeze and fish got sick.... ones I missed in the "spring hole" survived because I also ran an air stone out to it. Surface froze thinly but via the tubing run down through a piece of pvc with stone just down under kept things going.

 

[bluebirdnanny]

oh just realized how shallow yours is.... mine was 3.5 deep. sorry. I'd pick one or two and put them in as large a container as I could with air stones. In the house but with no heater. Unless you heat the shed and still do daily water changes!!!!!

 

[Lohoyan]

Some friends of mine winter their large koi in a large tank in their garage to protect them from the deep frozen Alberta winter Temp stays around 46 all winter, the fish go dormant, stay in the pump flow, don't eat a thing and don't dirty up the water. All they have is the dim light coming in through a window. They've been kept this way every winter for years and are happy. I've heard Goldie's are the same, they are both carp.